The perennial debate between fans of Lionel Messi and that of Cristiano Ronaldo of who the Greatest Of All Time (GOAT) is was heightened after the FC Barcelona superstar won his sixth Ballon d’Or award on Monday night in Paris, the capital city of France.
TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports GOAT, otherwise a hardy domesticated ruminant mammal, is an acronym that has been conjured up and used in praises of exceptional athletes, and in some cases, musicians and other public figures.
The acronym is believed to have originated with the release of The GOAT, the eighth studio album of American rapper, LL Cool J, and if one is considered to be the GOAT they are the best ever in their sport, in the likes of Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan, et al.
On social media, it’s common to see the goat 🐐 emoji in punning relation to the acronym, and one cannot name themselves the GOAT, as it must be given by others otherwise it loses all credibility.
Many Barca fans, including non-Barca fans, who are only just fans of Messi, and even others, who described themselves as lovers of good football, feel the perennial GOAT debate is dead and buried after Messi won his sixth Ballon d’Or.
Messi and Ronaldo had been locked on five Ballon d’Or awards each before Messi reclaimed the title he last won in 2015, with the Portuguese claiming the two subsequent gongs in 2016 and 2017.
With the sixth Ballon d’Or award in the coffers of Messi, the Barca superstar has moved one clear of Ronaldo.
Notwithstanding, fans of Ronaldo feel the Juventus man is the GOAT, arguing that Ronaldo had won the Ballon d’Or playing in England, won it playing in Spain, and won it the year he captained his country to glory.
That moment when Messi the GOAT 🐐 was announced the winner of #BallonDor2019
🏆👏 #Messix #BallonDor pic.twitter.com/tRcxREPU8h— тнe тowel gυy 🇳🇬 (@sydney_talker) December 2, 2019
Won a Balon D'Or playing in England
Won a Balon D'Or playing in Spain
Won a Balon D'Or the year he captained his country to glory
CR7 does it everywhere & with everybody unlike Messi.
He may not have won it this year but he's still the greatest of all time.#BallonDor2019
— UG (@UgwunnaEjikem) December 2, 2019
FIFA/BALON D'OR
MESSI- 6
RONALDO- 5
INTERNATIONAL HONOURS
MESSI-2
RONALDO-1
GOLDEN BOOTS
MESSI-6
RONALDO-4
TROPHIES
MESSI- 36
RONALDO-29
PLAYMAKER AWARDS
MESSI-4
RONALDO- 0
WORLD CUP GOLDEN BALL
MESSI- 1
RONALDO- 0
THE GOAT DEBATE IS DEAD AND BURIED #MESSIX 🐐
— Lidocaine 🔆 (@trending_medic) December 2, 2019
Messi has more Ballon d’Or
Messi has more Golden shoe
Messi has more Pinchichi
Messi has more Career Trophies
Messi has more World Cup Golden Ball
You goat must be oke mkpi 😭😭 https://t.co/KJudJ4GXt0
— Mazi Olisaemeka C. ™ (@OlisaOsega) December 2, 2019
MESSI – LA LIGA TOP SCORER
– UCL TOP SCORER
– EUROPEAN GOLDEN SHOE
– LA LIGA WINNERCR7 – NOT EVEN TOP SCORER IN SERIA A.
OUT SCORED BY A 36 YEAR OLD
— Sinbad ⚔ (@Iam_Fouad) December 2, 2019
https://twitter.com/Famez_vv/status/1201611196731928582?s=19
Your goat might have lobbied his 6th #BallonDor2019 but the one and only real goat won it 5 times and have an international trophy in his cabinet.
Beat it if you can, but RONALDO will always be ahead of your goat. pic.twitter.com/idA9Ow5nx0
— Duke of Ibadan 🀄️ (@AsiwajuLerry) December 2, 2019
In this era, it’s still absurd and appalling to compare Lionel Messi prowess to that of any other person kicking d leather ball.
This man is that Leather Ball himself. He’s the GREATEST OF ALL GREAT! 🐐 👑 #BallonDor2019 pic.twitter.com/AGmu4bFA9b
— FAROUQ (@farouq_yahaya) December 2, 2019
This is best video you’ll see on Twitter today. 😂
Lionel Messi is the greatest player of all time. #MESSIX #BallonDor2019 pic.twitter.com/7ru5xLvqEL
— S P L O O F E E K (@sploofeek) December 2, 2019
https://twitter.com/TheShawnife/status/1201614278761091077?s=19
RONALDO IS STILL MY GOAT! Always have been, Always will be🤗 #BallonDor2019
— Sansa Stark The Phoenix (@_Oroboghene) December 2, 2019
There’s only 1 Footballer in the World! Messi, the others are selling Akara #BallonDor2019 #Messix #Messi pic.twitter.com/VWTuwEVWbb
— DREYLO. (@RealDreylo) December 2, 2019
Ronaldo fans when the Pastor says they should open to the book of Numbers Chapter 6 #MESSIX #BallonDor2019 pic.twitter.com/FDCKuQ5Hpz
— IZY 💎|| Israel (@izybaby01) December 2, 2019
Anytime Messi Nails another achievement, Ronaldo Fans will just come out of nowhere. Are you blind to the fact? Order medicated glasses for yourselves. #BallonDor2019
— DREYLO. (@RealDreylo) December 2, 2019
Ronaldo is my own G. O. A. T 🙌#BallonDor2019 pic.twitter.com/UNLosVc9jS
— Mr Common Sense (@Akmonabiodun) December 2, 2019
With or without BallonDOr Ronaldo will forever be my GOAT 🐐 👑 #BallonDor2019 pic.twitter.com/ktYaFV9USU
— Jibril Ajiya (@jeebryl) December 2, 2019
Messi can't do it without Xavi
Messi can't do it without iniesta
Messi can't do it without Neymar
Messi just did it with VALVERDE
Goodnight people #MESSIX
— FAROUQ (@farouq_yahaya) December 2, 2019
Your GOAT is not even the Best Player at Juventus 😂 you wanna cry over Balon D’or#MESSIX
— Kay 💧 (@Kaypoisson1) December 2, 2019
https://twitter.com/Pastor_CVB/status/1201576646819688449?s=19
We are not saying Messi is the 🐐 because of his record 6th Ballon d’Or and Fifa Best Awards.
We are saying He’s The Greatest because he simply is THE GREATEST.
End of discussion #BallonDor #MESSIX
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥— Edmund 💉 (@EdmundOris) December 2, 2019
If you’re a football lover, you can’t hate Messi! Congrats to the GOAT 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 #MESSIX pic.twitter.com/jjyR613DBI
— Malik Ofori (@malikofori) December 2, 2019
Public notice: The GOAT debate ended long time ago! Messi is the greatest sportsperson ever to exist!🥇#MESSIX #BallonDor2019
— BeksFCB (@Joshua_Ubeku) December 2, 2019
Do you agree Messi is the GOAT, or Ronaldo is?
Recall Luka Modric surprisingly picked up the accolade last year to end the 10-year dominance of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
However, Messi changed the narratives by reinventing himself, and producing a sterling performance in the year to claim a tenth La Liga trophy and a Supercopa de Espana, hitting 40 strikes and registering a further 17 assists.
Denied in the final of the Copa del Rey, Messi was on the wrong end of a 4-0 battering at Anfield that saw Liverpool eventually going on to claim the Champions League title.
While Messi did finish as the top scorer in both the Champions League and La Liga, he was, however, unable to inspire his country to silverware at the Copa America, being forced to settle for third place after losing to Brazil in the semi-finals before beating Chile in the playoff.
Before setting the record as the first player in history to win the Ballon d’Or for six times, the FC Barcelona playmaker had earlier picked up the individual FIFA’s ‘The Best’ Men’s award.
Liverpool defender Van Dijk finished second, with team-mates Alisson, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane coming in at seventh, fifth and fourth, respectively, as the Reds lifted the Champions League and came within a point of winning their first Premier League trophy, losing just one league game all season.
Ronaldo was left in third place – his lowest ranking since failing to make the podium in 2010. His calendar year remains impressive, but his numbers fall short of the exceedingly high standards the 34-year-old has set over the years.
Meanwhile, Messi has reacted to winning the 2019 Ballon d’Or award after brushing off tight competition from Liverpool FC defender, Virgil van Dijk, and from Juventus talisman, Cristiano Ronaldo.
Messi expressed thanks to France Football and to journalists who voted for him, while also acknowledging the role his teammates, both those at FC Barcelona and the Argentina national team, played for him to become the winner of the Ballon d’Or award for the sixth time.
“Thanks to France Football and the journalists who voted for me. I couldn’t have won this award without the help of my teammates, both those at FC Barcelona and the Argentina national team, and that’s why this prize is theirs too. Of course, it also belongs to my family, who I dedicate it to, and who give me such great support every day,” he stated shortly after receiving the award.
